CIMM to Help Launch New Cross-Platform Measurement

The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement announced a cross-platform media research project Tuesday (Aug. 10) that could lead to the launch of a new syndicated multi-media measurement service.

The project is based on a research service used in the U.K. called IPA TouchPoints, which provides the British media industry with a single source of planning data across TV and out of home video, radio, print, online and mobile.

To bring the research service to the U.S., CIMM commissioned the Media Behavior Institute, which partnered with GfK MRI, to field a test in the U.S. at an estimated cost of $1 million.

For the test, MBI and GfK MRI will gather information about the multi-media habits of 1,000 persons 18-54 using specially equipped iPhones that act as electronic diaries. Persons who agree to participate will be prompted by a beep every 30 minutes to record their media over 10 days.

Data from the multi-media sample then gets combined and fused with the traditional media currencies, such as Nielsen, Arbitron, and comScore, which have been approached by CIMM to participate in the trial.

"This is by far the most comprehensive and provides the best way to link cross-media measurement and understand media usage in the context of daily life activities," said Jane Clarke, managing director of CIMM.

CIMM's 21 members will have exclusive access to the data for the first six months before it will be offered to the rest of the media industry.

For MBI, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sequent Partners, the CIMM deal gives the two-year-old company a strong launch pad.

"This is a wonderful step forward for us," said Jim Spaeth, chief strategic and financial officer for MBI. "We want to launch this as a syndicated service."

The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement announced a cross-platform media research project Tuesday (Aug. 10) that could lead to the launch of a new syndicated multi-media measurement service.

The project is based on a research service used in the U.K. called IPA TouchPoints, which provides the British media industry with a single source of planning data across TV and out of home video, radio, print, online and mobile.

To bring the research service to the U.S., CIMM commissioned the Media Behavior Institute, which partnered with GfK MRI, to field a test in the U.S. at an estimated cost of $1 million.

For the test, MBI and GfK MRI will gather information about the multi-media habits of 1,000 persons 18-54 using specially equipped iPhones that act as electronic diaries. Persons who agree to participate will be prompted by a beep every 30 minutes to record their media over 10 days.

Data from the multi-media sample then gets combined and fused with the traditional media currencies, such as Nielsen, Arbitron, and comScore, which have been approached by CIMM to participate in the trial.

"This is by far the most comprehensive and provides the best way to link cross-media measurement and understand media usage in the context of daily life activities," said Jane Clarke, managing director of CIMM.

CIMM's 21 members will have exclusive access to the data for the first six months before it will be offered to the rest of the media industry.

For MBI, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sequent Partners, the CIMM deal gives the two-year-old company a strong launch pad.

"This is a wonderful step forward for us," said Jim Spaeth, chief strategic and financial officer for MBI. "We want to launch this as a syndicated service."